From Beach to Beach in Central Florida

When we go to Florida, we went to a new beach every single day! So, if you love beaches like we do, then you'll love to hear our insight about our best beach adventures and also where you can find the best coastlines, sand, starfish, places to go sun tanning and finding the coolest sea shell on the beaches in Central Florida. Not only that but some water near beaches is made for surfing while other water is made with low tides - good for sailing or renting a jet ski. In Florida there are hundreds if not thousands of bodies of water. There is small streams, big and small lakes, swimming holes with alligators (I totally do NOT recommend going swimming with those beasts!) Anyways, I look at WATER conditions to base my overall outlook on the type of experience we'll have during our stay! If you want to dig 5 foot holes, there's perfect beaches for that or if your desire is to go suntanning, there's other beaches more appropriate for that. going sunbathing,

For starters, in central Florida you have 2 sides to the coastline. All of the beaches have a different atmosphere, different waves, a different feel from the sand, different swimming conditions and offer you a different experience. Therefore, depending on what you're looking for - Keep this information in mind before heading out to the beach that day or planning your itinerary for your next vacation and decide what you really want to experience on your journey.

1. If you go to the beaches on the Atlantic Ocean (the eastern side of Florida near Daytona Beach), The water on the coasts has some crazy wicked waves. This water is great for surfing, paddle boarding, jet skiing, deep sea fishing and going on sailing expeditions. But if you want to swim, the waves will take you down one crashing wave at a time. The beaches themselves are more for sightseeing, partying, getting exercise, building sand castles, chasing sea gulls and strolling along the coastline, not for people who really love to soak up the sun. Even though you'll still see beach towels, bikinis, and sun screen, these beaches won't offer a tranquil sunbathing experience to be desired.

2. When we went to the Gulf of Mexico side (western side of Florida near Tampa/Sarasota/Clearwater Beach) The water is awesome for swimming, jet skis, speed boats and parasailing, and the beaches themselves have a different feel on every beach! Starting in Clearwater you will see amazing everything, the beaches are really big and they have really white sand that goes on for miles. These areas are good for suntanning, building really big sand castles, entertainment and everything in between. In this area you'll see a combination of both locals and tourists and honestly, you won't know who's who.

But note: As you start to head north on the coast, the sand will start to turn into more of a small rocky-ish bardge per say. Two words - SEA SHELLS!! And the beaches are really no beach at all. The beaches get smaller as you wander up the coast, and you will find a ton of seashells that farther north you go. So keep walking because that's where treasures are to be found! Tourists are usually found here, scoping out the area looking for beach artifacts: sea shells, blown in driftwood, dead sea creature remnants and small water decayed rocks that they can collect and store in their checked bags to take home. Not too much going on in the water around the beaches and not many locals.If you head south from Clearwater, the beaches are still huge, but the mood changes from a more thrill seeking trip to a more relaxed, family orientated atmosphere where you'll see more locals than tourists. These beaches are for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of having to deal with tourists and they just want a nice day on the beach to hang out with their family. Not much going on in the water around the beaches but you might see some yachts floating around.

Which beach would you prefer? Take a looksie at the details section below to learn more!

Story Details

Culture and experiences

Anna Maria Public Beach

Anna Maria Public Beach is not a private beach! This beach has beach access from around a canal and on this beach you can find as many sea shells are your heart desires!

Entertainment

Clearwater Beach

Clearwater Beach is my favorite beach! This beach is for you if you like entertainment on a beach. This beach has the most outdoor venues and beach entertainment from all of the beaches I explored on the Western side of Florida. From this beach you can walk to see Pier 60.

Hotels

The hotel at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa is a private beach area with two swimming pools, multiple places to eat and evening activities for kids of all ages. I definitely recommend staying at this hotel.

Points of interest

Daytona Beach

Daytona beach is definitely for you if you like to drive on a beach. When the sun goes down this beach turns into a party beach with scheduled nightly entertainment. This is the only beach that I've ever seen that allows you to drive your car onto the beach with a price of course. It costs around $10 bucks or something like that.

Sanibel Island

Low key area. We went to the end of the island part of the beach. Not much there but we did see sea gulls and boats in the water. Great place to walk around with a trail.

Special activities

Sarasota Beach

Sarasota beach is another one of my favorite beaches in Florida. You will find a white sand beach on this beach. At this beach you can relax and enjoy activities going on, on the beach.